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By: Derek Price
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Harley-Davidson motorcycles are
about power, style and freedom. So are pickup
trucks.
With that in mind, Ford partnered with Harley-Davidson
to create a special edition F-150 pickup that
embodies the spirit of the open road. It's quick,
it's fun, and it's got lots of chrome -- just like
anything with the Harley badge should be.
More than anything else, it's built for cruising with
Steppenwolf cranked up and windows rolled down. It's
not meant for off-road excursions, and it's
definitely not a work truck.
Instead, it's all about style and speed.
Start with 20-inch chrome wheels, which are among the
most eye-catching metal on the road. Harley
engineers worked for months perfecting their design,
and the results are astonishing. Wrapped in
low-profile rubber, they're the flashiest of
Harley's touches that combine to say, "I'm one
baaaad truck."
Painted flames are an attention-getting tradition on
hot rods, but the ones on this F-150 are -- dare I
say it -- tasteful. What starts as a pinstripe near
the hood slowly widens and transforms into a dark
red series of little flames that emerges near the
tailgate. It's not as flamboyant as the enormous
wheels, but it's a nice touch nonetheless. A big
Harley-Davidson logo looks like an award plaque
plastered on side panels, and chrome tailpipes and
running boards complete the tough-guy look outside.
Inside, it's all variations on the leather-and-chrome
theme. Comfortable, deep bucket seats are covered in
-- what else -- black leather, and motorcycle
influence is seen virtually everywhere. Front and
rear center consoles have embossed lids with flames
and the ever-present H-D logo, while switches and
buttons have a terrific, driver-friendly layout.
Little Harley emblems adorn the headrests, as if you
couldnąt notice them elsewhere in the truck.
Chrome accents are peppered throughout the cabin in
places like door handles, a column-mounted shifter
and rings around the gauge faces. Overall, it's a
nice cabin that isn't too showy.
Just like Harley motorcycles, this Ford offers
impressive performance with its good looks. A
tire-smoking 340 horsepower comes courtesy of a
supercharged 5.4-liter V8, a monster powerplant that
replaces last year's 260-horsepower engine with the
same displacement. It's more power than anybody
needs, but it sure is fun.
Point the Ford down a straight stretch of highway and
stomp on the accelerator. You wait for a split
second without much response, but then -- POW! --
the supercharger spools up and plants you in the
back of your seat like an amusement park ride. The
exhaust note is enchanting as it mimics the
"potato-potato" burble of a Harley.
The suspension is tuned more for performance than
hauling ability, and it feels more taut and
controllable than other versions of the F-150. It
also slightly lowers the whole truck to give it a
more aggressive stance.
All this performance and style costs around $35,000,
making it the most expensive of Ford's F-150 trucks.
But, if you like Harley style and jaw-dropping
performance in a truck, it's worth every penny. No
other truck was born to be this wild.
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